In the pursuance to find the outer terminus ad quem of our galaxy , stargazer have discovered over 200 stars that form the Milky Way ’s edge , the most distant of which is over one million light - class away — nearly halfway to theAndromeda Galax urceolata .
The 208 stars the researchers identify are sleep together asRR Lyrae stars , which are stars with a smartness that can change as see from Earth . These stars are typically old and brighten and blur at steady intervals , which is a mechanism that allow scientists to calculate how far away they are . By calculating the distance to these RR Lyrae whizz , the squad base that the furthest of the bunch was located about halfway between the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy , one of our cosmic next - door neighbors .
“ This written report is redefining what constitutes the KO’d limits of our galaxy , ” articulate Raja GuhaThakurta in apress release . GuhaThakurta is professor and chair of uranology and astrophysics at the University of California Santa Cruz . “ Our galaxy and Andromeda are both so big , there ’s hardly any space between the two galax . ”
The Andromeda Galaxy captured by the NASA Galaxy Evolution Mapper in 2012.Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The Milky Way galaxy consists of a few different percentage , the primary of which is a thin , spiral disk about 100,000 light - geezerhood across . Our home solar system sits on one of the arm of this platter . An inner and outer gloriole surround the disk , and these nimbus contain some of the oldest stars in our Galax urceolata .
Previous studies have placed the edge of the outer halo at 1 million light - years from the Milky Way ’s center , but based on the new work , the edge of this halo should be about 1.04 million light - years from the galactic center . Yuting Feng , a doctoral student at the university working with GuhaThakurta , led the study and ispresenting the finding this weekat the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle .
“ We were able to use these variable stars as reliable tracer to trap down the distance , ” said Yuting Feng , a doctorial student at the university working with GuhaThakurta . “ Our observations support the theoretical estimation of the size of the aureole , so that ’s an important result . ”
Illustration: NASA, ESA, AND A. FEILD (STSCI)
Space is huge and lone — but we can sense a bit cozier knowing that our galactic neighbour is closer than we think .
AstronomyMilky WayPhysical sciencesThe whitish agency
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , science , and culture news in your inbox daily .
News from the hereafter , pitch to your nowadays .
You May Also Like
